Topic: A Bowl for James3

[Ken (OP)]

James3 wanted a bowl of his own after seeing Tyra's bowl.   :08:

So... here 'tiss. 
The size is about 2" x 5-1/2"
It's finished with Mike Mahoney's Walnut Oil and his 'Oil Wax Finish'.

The wood came from the maple tree that given to me back in October of last year. The log pieces are starting to age nicely and I'm starting to use more and more of them.

Here's a couple of pictures, you can see more in the album, A Bowl for James3.

[Skhilled]

Nice! So, how long does the wood need to age and how do you age it?

[Ken (OP)]

Nice! So, how long does the wood need to age and how do you age it?

That question requires an answer much longer than you might have anticipated.  :08:

The answer can vary widely because different types of trees will age or dry at different rates and the size of the tree must be taken into account as well, here's the general idea:
The wood can be turned when the tree has just been felled, you would usually 'rough' turn the wood leaving the wall thickness about twice as thick as you plan for the end result. After this rough turning you would store the wood for some months, taking care to not let the wood dry too fast. There are lots of ways to slow the drying process, one way is to pack the piece in shavings and sawdust.
The answer above only touches the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ways to store and cure (dry) wood.

For wood (logs) that you're not going to use right away you would just stack them and leave then to dry, which could take several months to several years. For this type of storage some turners like to coat the ends (end grain) of their log with some kind of sealer so the drying will be slowed over time.